Doffing tool



DOFFING TOOL Filed Dec. 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. E. PURCELL.

June 7, 1966 DOFFING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9. 1965 UnitedStates Patent 3,254,912 DOFFING TOOL Raymond Earl Purcell, Martinsville,Va., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 329,060 2 Claims.(Cl. 294-) This invention relates generally to the packaging of yarnand, more particularly, to the manner in which yarn packages are handledafter winding.

A known type of yarn windup includes a rotatable, surface driven chuckadapted to receive one or more tubular package supports. An expandablechuck, such as that shown by Fletcher in U.S. Patent No. 2,274,681,permits easy mounting of an empty tube on the chuck assembly simply bysliding the tube over movable supporting elements which, by centrifugalaction, grip the tube and hold it in place as a package is wound. Whenthe chuck is stopped, after completion of a package, it is diflicult toremove and handle the tube without contacting the pack aged yarn.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved dofling tool forremoving yarn packages from a windup device quickly and withoutcontacting the yarn. The tool is lightweight and easy to engage anddisengage from the package. It includes a slender rod which fits into asmall groove provided in the windup chuck, engages a tube to facilitateits removal and holds the packaged tube securely during transfer to abuggy or weigh station.

These objectives and advantages are achieved with a hand tool comprisedof a limit plate adapted for engagement with one end of a tubularelement, a handle on the plate and an elongated, resiliently flexiblerod projecting outwardly from the plate. The rod terminates in a hookadapted for engagement with the tubular element at its opposite end.

Other objectives and structurally advantageous features will becomeapparent in the following specification wherein reference is made to theaccompanying'drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view of a chuckassembly showing the doffing tool of the present invention in positionfor removal of a yarn package;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the slender rod which forms a part of the handtool shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of counteracting forces which hold apackage on the tool after its removal from the windup.

Referring to FIG. 1, a doffing tool 10 is shown inserted into a chuckassembly 24. Tool 10 consists of a handle 12 provided with grips 14 and16, which may be made of plastic or other suitable material. Mounted tothe handle 12 by fasteners is an elongated, slender, resilientlyflexible rod 18 which has a rectangular cross section and tapers towardits outer end. Rod 18 is metallic and straight except for a short endsection :19 (-FIG. 3) which is bent upward slightly. At its outer end,rod 18 is provided with a hook 20, either by forming or machining.Mounted on the handle and rod assembly is a circular limit plate 22having a diameter greater than that of a tubular package support 40.

The chuck assembly 24 includes a stationary spindle 26 which is fixedlymounted to frame 28. Spindle 26 supports a tubular housing 34 onbearings 30 and 32. Mounted in the tubular housing 34 are three grippingvanes 36, biased outwardly by springs 38. Vanes 36 grip the tube 40 withslight pressure when housing. 34 is stationary. Centrifugal force,acting on vanes 36, provides the higher "Ice '44 through which the rod18 of dofiing tool 10 is inserted.

- In use, dofling tool 10 is inserted in the groove 44 in tubularhousing 34 until plate 22 engages the exposed and of tube 40 and hook 20springs into engagement with its inner end. The package 42 and tube 40are removed by pulling on the handle 12 while maintaining nominal axiaalignment with the chuck assembly 24.

When clear of chuck assembly 24, the counteracting forces on rod 18 locktube 40 on tool 10 in such a manner as to form a rigid, stable assemblyfor transfer of the package 42 to a spinning buggy or a weigh station.In FIG. 1, it can be seen that the hook-to-tube engagement point C iscommon to both the hook 20 and the tube 40. With reference to FIG. 4,note that point C on the hook 20 can deflect only along are A. However,this common point C on the rear of tube 40 can only deflect or rotatealong arc B because pivot point B is fixed by the limit plate 22. Sincethe forcewhich causes deflection at point C arises from the weight ofthe wound yarn package, this force first acts on the tube 40 which holdsit down and fixes, so

.to speak, pivot point B. The tube 40 pivoting slightly about point Bcauses point C to try to follow are B; however, only a very slightmovement is allowed because the space between the book 20 on rod 18 andthe face of the limit plate 22 is only slightly longer than the lengthof the tube 40. As a result of this slight deflection, the rod 18 is intension rather than in bending and the tube structure is thus locked inplace. Any further tendency for the rod to bend is now fully resisted bythe rigid tube structure acting as a column.

The yarn package is removed from dofiing tool 10 simply by producing alifting force under the tube or yarn package independent of and greaterthan the downward force caused by the package-tube weight.

It is, of course, apparent that such a dofling tool is useful in doffingeither a single tube which contains one or more packages or two or moretubes upon which are wound individual or multiple packages.

In addition to the illustrated length adjustment feature for rod 18, theface of limit plate 22 may be provided with a plurality of removableshims or plates to facilitate ad-, justment of the distance to theinside of hook 20.

While the illustrated embodiment has been described with respect topackaged yarn, the dofiing tool is equally useful with any wound websuch as cloth, film, carpet, etc., which has been wound on a tube,bobbin, or sleeve. Further, this tool is useful in moving any objectwhere it is desired not to contact the outside surface and the objecthas a through passage for rod 18. For example, it has utility in theremoval of hot, tube-shaped objects from a heat-treating furnace.

It is apparent that the above and other modifications and adaptations ofthe disclosed dofling tool may be accomplished without departing fromthe spirit of my invention which accordingly is intended to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A hand tool comprising: a plate adapted for engagement with one endof a tubular element; a handle on said plate; and an elongated,resiliently flexible rod attached'to and projecting outwardly fromsaidplate, said rod having a short, obt-usely disposed, terminal lengthand terminating in a lateral extension, said lateral extensionpresenting a hook adapted for engagement with said element at itsopposite end, said rod being adapted to flex and elongate when insertedinto said element and being substantially coextensive in length withsaid element when unflexed, whereby to cooperate with said plate andhandle as a support for said tubular element.

2. A tool intended for use in dofiing a yarn package wound on a tubefrom a windup chuck having a longitudinal groove in its surface, saidtool comprising: a plate adapted for engagement with the exposed end ofand through the circumference of said tube; a handle projectingoutwardly intone direction from said plate; and an elongated,resiliently flexible rod attached to and projecting outwardly in theopposite direction from said plate, said rod having a short, obtuselydisposed, terminal length and terminating in a lateral extension, saidlateral extension presenting a hook adapted for engagement with thevother end of said tube, said rod being adapted to flex and 15 GEORGE F.ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner.

elongate when inserted into said tube through said groove and beingsubstantially coextensive in length with said tube when unflexed,whereby to cooperate with said plate as a support for said package whendofied.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,570,306 1/1926Johnson 294-6l X 1,752,227 3/1930 Briggs 294-61 X 2,625,422 1/1953Roberts 29415 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner.

1. A HAND TOOL COMPRISING: A PLATE ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ENDOF A TUBULAR ELEMENT; A HANDLE ON SAID PLATE; AND AN ELONGATED,RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE ROD ATTACHED TO AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAIDPLATE, SAID ROD HAVING A SHORT, OBTUSELY DISPOSED, TERMINAL LENGTH ANDTERMINATING IN A LATERAL EXTENSION, SAID LATERAL EXTENSION PRESENTING AHOOK ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMWNT WITH SAID ELEMENT AT ITS OPPOSITE END, SAIDROD BEING ADAPTED TO FLEX AND ELONGATE WHEN INSERTED INTO SAID ELEMENTAND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE IN LENGTH WITH SAID ELEMENT WHENUNFLEXED, WHEREBY TO COOPERATE WITH SAID PLATE AND HANDLE AS A SUPPORTFOR SAID TUBULAR ELEMENT.